Caging??? Other noob questions.

[Borgy76]

I suppose i might as well start off with the main ingredients. I have decided on a Boa, that is all i have decided on. So many different ones out there it is mind boggling to decide which to get first. I am planning on this being a pet, not looking to get into breeding(atleast not right now). I am thinking about something along the baby/less then a yr old, female to start. What are some good cage options are there? Should i start with something smaller and step up, or can i start with a cage for a full size boa and just fill it with more hides and other things? I am not looking to do a bargain basement walmart set up, looking more into a good cage that will last and keep me and my snake happy. I have so many other questions but i figure this is a good topic to start off with. Unlike everything else i am not doing this on impulse and want to do as much research and get as much education as i can before i make the jump. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and from what i have seen and read i am sure this is the best place to get my info.

[Evenstar]

An adult female BCI should have a minimum of a 4x2x2 foot cage. Larger is better - they will use any and all space they are given including any shelves and perches offered. Larger female BCI and BCC really need a 6x2x2. You can get the cage now and just clutter it up with lots of hiding places. If you get a tiny baby, you can put a tub together quite easily for it's first year then move it to it's adult enclosure. Boas are not balls and don't mind larger spaces as long as they have some hiding spots.

The best place for a good quality cage, in my opinion, is Constrictors NW / ProLine. Ed is fabulous to work with and will set you up right. He also uses HDPE plastic rather than pvc. It is less resistant to absorbing odor and staining.

Other good places to go for quality caging is Animal Plastics and www.pvccages.com. Boaphile makes some good cages, but Jeff is horrible with customer service and communication. I bought a rack from him a couple years ago and I won't do it again - happy with the rack, but it was just really crappy service. Jmo......

[Borgy76]

Thanks Kali! Yeah i was wondering about the size thing, as far as a baby goes. I guess i can always just fill it with more hides and maybe some climbing stuff. I was just looking at Constrictor NW stuff and heard pretty decent stuff about them. I was considering Jeff from Boaphiles just because he isn't very far from me, but i have had my fill of dealing with those kind of issues enough to last me a lifetime. With a 6x2x2 size enclosure, how big of a heating area do you need on the basking area? Any particular brands of monitors you recommend for temps and humidity?

[Evenstar]

With a 6x2x2, I, personally, would use 2 strips of 12" THG heat tape (Reptile Basics) at one end. You can use separate cords for each strip. Use one for now since the baby is small. When it grows up, plug in the other strip for a large area. Just watch your ambient temps as this will affect that and you may have to make some adjustments.

[Gio]

Sorry I missed this thread.
I agree with Kali and think the Pro-Line cages are great. Depending on what sex boa you get and how big the end product is, you can go with a 4' X 2' X 14" cage like this.



I ordered that from Ed at Constrictors NW and he built it fast and set it up. I have a few threads here and there on the process of buying that cage.

The plastic is A # 1 !! I like the size as I feel 14" of height is the minimum and I see my guy using his perches ALL of the time. I use 1 radiant heat panel on a Herpstat and I control the whole environment with it.

There is a new size 5' X 26" X 16" that is a great deal. It's a nice in between.

You could easily get away with a 48" X 24" X 18" and add a shelf.

There are a lot of folks that like Animal Plastics as well.

Price everything out and base your decision on that.

I personally believe boas like the height and they benefit from using perches. I also don't feel limited cage size is needed. You are correct in saying you can "clutter" the cage. Boas are not shy, nature is huge and they will do fine if they have places to go.

Good luck.

[Borgy76]

Thanks Gio, I shall look into that more. Like I said, I am in no huge hurry. Still researching stuff. I figure things will fall into place eventually when I find what I want.

[jclaiborne]

Are the doors on the pro-line cages acrylic? If so any issues with them scratching?

[I-KandyReptiles]

Like Evenstar said, if you get a boa and give them space, they tend to be semi arboreal.

I have my adult female in a 6' long, 3' wide, 4' high cage with branches and she tends to stay perched up high unless she comes down to drink some water.

I wouldn't go for a cage under 16" tall. I had my girl temporarily in a 421 by boaphile and it was hard taking her out of a 12" high cage.

Her cage:

[Gio]

Are the doors on the pro-line cages acrylic? If so any issues with them scratching?

They are. They are also replaceable, but I've had no issues. I use a micro-fiber cloth and high def TV spray cleaner which I believe is some type of non streak, de-ionized water or something.

I wipe both sides usually once a day.

Pretty clear here,,



That is shot with the glass closed.

[Gio]

Like Evenstar said, if you get a boa and give them space, they tend to be semi arboreal.

I have my adult female in a 6' long, 3' wide, 4' high cage with branches and she tends to stay perched up high unless she comes down to drink some water.

I wouldn't go for a cage under 16" tall. I had my girl temporarily in a 421 by boaphile and it was hard taking her out of a 12" high cage.

Her cage:

Great example of a BIG boa climbing. These are snakes that stay active. The reasoning behind getting a boa for me was the semi arboreal quality found in a heavy bodied fairly large snake.

You won't see Blood pythons do this or Dumeril boas do this. While I like both, and even love our little Royal, this climbing activity is a real plus in BCs and I recommend caging that promotes it!!